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Monday, 10 June 2013

Brit Decor: Spotlight

History once again seems to be in-vogue with a huge increase in all things vintage. And yet, how many of us would be willing to fully embrace the very essence & history of the style that we are trying to emulate and how far would we go to achieve this?

This month's spotlight is on Historian and TV presenter, Dan Cruikshank and his beautifully restored Georgian townhouse in London's Spitalfields.

Over the years, Dan has been a passionate campaigner against the demolition of many Georgian properties across London and is actively involved in the Spitalfields trust. Dan bought his historic townhouse, built in 1727, for just £15,000 and in doing so saved it from demolition in the late 1970s.

Although the building was declared structurally safe, the interior was in a very bad way due to years of water leaks which had contributed to the collapse of the ceilings. The key to Dan's approach was sensitive restoration, so that features such as the original pine panelling, cornicing and dado rails remained in tact. Dan even discovered fragments of original Georgian paintwork, which he was able to replicate and further authenticate the restoration project.

The process of restoration also included building a collection of antique furniture and historical artefacts sourced from junk shops, secondhand markets and from Dan's travels around the world.

It is clear that this has been a major renovation project but the results are both stylish and authentic, which gives the scheme a definite edge, whilst encapsulating the past.